In 1607, the English settlers in Jamestown, VA arrived with the Church of England as their faith. After the American Revolution however, these settlers wanted to separate their beliefs from those of the British Crown so they founded the Episcopal Church.

At first, the church was suspect because of its British origin, but establishing in new territories eventually won the Church its own identity. The Episcopal Church is less doctrine-oriented than some other Christian faiths and operates with a democratic structure, They believe that the Bible was an inspired account, but written by imperfect human beings. Interpretation and practice are largely left up its members who are urged to make moral decisions with the guidance of scripture, prayer and their ministers.

As in other Christian faiths, funeral services are held in a church or funeral home. Guests may sit where they choose and are not expected to view the body. A priest leads the service and sometimes includes a Bible lesson as part of the program. Non-members are expected to sit, kneel and pray with the congregation as long as this doesn’t compromise their own beliefs. Partaking in Communion, however, is reserved for Christians. There are no specific rituals for comforting the bereaved or holding anniversary services.